Automatic switch.



No. 815,397. PATENTED MAR. 20, 1906.

0. F. ADAMS. AUTOMATIG SWITGH.

APPLIGATI ON FILED 10150.4, 1905.

. 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

JNVTENTOR l7 Q Q (161W J W imam? Attorneys I No. 815,397. I PATENTED MAR. 20, 1906.

0,, P.'ADAMS.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED 1330.4, 1905.

- 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

construction of a switch for 15 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE-.-

CLARENCE F. ADAMS, or CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY. r AUTOMATIC s wrrcH...

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Application filed December 4, 1905. Serial No. 29o,15s.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CLARENCE F. ADAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Camden, in'the county of Camden and State of.

New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Switches; and I do hereby declare the followin full, clear, and exact description the inthe'art to which it .appertains to make and use the same.

I My present invention relates to street or steam railways, and has for its. object the that can be readily operated from a car'or engine instead of by hand manipulation; and it consists in certain new contructions and combinations of parts producing new: and improved results. I

In the accompanying drawings I have shown the best form in which I have contem- 3 in in the direction of the arrows.

. a etail of the operating blocks and The end of a bar Fig. 2is a longitudinal vertical section 0 "plated embodying my invention, and my said invention is disclosed in the following description and claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved switch, the tip of the box in which the parts are inclosed being removed to show the arrangement of arts. parts of the switch on line 2. 2, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows. tical sectional view on line 3 3, Fig. 1, look- Fig. 4is shafts on an enlarged scale.

In the drawin s, Ais a straight line of track, and B is a track Ieading off at a right or other angle thereto. The switchsecured to a shaft a j ourna ed in an upright position. To the lower end of this shaft-and beneath the level of the track is rigidly secured oint a is rigidly the arm a which extends to or near to the middle of the straight track, and its free end is there pivoted at a to a bar A, extending longitudinally of the straight track A. B, extending from the curve of the angular track, is also pivoted to the arm a and preferably at the same point or upon the same pivot for. simplicity of 'construction, as shown in the drawings. It will be seen that when the parts are i the position shown in Fi 1 a movement of the bar A tothe left wil move the arm a turning the rock-shaft a in a direction to open the switch to permit a car to pass onto the angular track B, and thereafter a moveto which the to be a a such railways Fig. 3 is a verbearing-block a .cam e. secured theturning-block F. This block is Patented March 20, 1906.

ment in the opposite direction will return i l the switch-point to its former position.

Beneath the track is located a metallic box or casing 0, extending so as to include the bars A B and the arm a. and the shaft said shaft being seated in a bearing'in the bottom of the bar C and extending upward through a bearing in the top of the box.

The bars A and B switch-point is pivoted, the

rest upon and move upon the bottom of said box or casing, and the v is made of such dimensions as box or casing the necessary movements to to permit 6 effect the placing of the switch in the position desired. The water-tight.

I will now proceed to describe the mechanism that I employ. to effect the movements -of the bars A and B.

Between the rails of the tracks I place metal plates D D DFD. flush: with the surface of the ground, and'such plates are preferably provided with roughened upper surfaces to prevent. .horses from slipping upon them. These plates are secured to andform watertight covers for upwardly-extending casings d d (2 -62 In these plates are journaled upwardly-positioned shafts E E E E each of which is stepped in the bottom of the box C.

box is so constructed as to be Oneof these shafts (shaft E)is shown on an enlarged scale in Fig 4. On the shaft is mounted a short arm or cam e a sufiicient distance above the bottom ofbox C to permit the bar A to. ass freely beneath it, the barbeing slotted and the shaft passin through the slot, whereby the bar is guide in. its movements. is provided, which when the switch-point is inthe position shown in the drawings is in close proximity to the arm or To the upper end of the shaft E is gage the block a and move the bar A, so as To the left of this'shaft a to open the switch for the car to pass to the angular track B; The shaft E is similarly mounted and is provided with a turningblock F and has similar'relationsto the bar open the switch for the straight track.

B, except that the arm 6 extends to the right of the approaching car and the block (L against which it operates, is placed at such a distance from the shaft when the switch is closed to the angular track B that the bar B is free to move a sufficient distance to open the switch, and when the switch is opened, as just described, the block a will be brought in close proximity to the arm or cam 6 When the car is approaching from the straight track, the turning-block F is engaged by the downwardlyextending arm or projection from the car at the left of the shaft E the shaft will be turned and the cam will engage the block a and force the bar B backward, closing the switch.

Should my switch be applied to a junction of two tracks. where the straight line is normally open, the parts described are all that would be needed to effect the opening and closing of the switch on the right-hand track of a double-track line. Should, however, it be a junction at which the connection with the angular line is tobe normally open, then shafts E and E would be employed. With these shafts when the switch-point is normally opened for passage of cars to the angular track, the block a will be brought into close relation to the arm or cam e of the shaft E, and as such arm or cam extends to the right of the approaching car, if the turning block F be engaged by the arm or projection of the car, the shaft E will be turned to cause the arm or cam e toengage the block a and A like engagement thereafter with the turningblock F will return the switch to normal position.

Each of the shafts E E E E is provided with an arm g, to which a spring g is connected to return the turning blocks and shafts to the normal position after having been engaged by the projection from the car. By making the box C water-tight I am able to put into the same a stratum of oil sufficient in quantity to prevent the devices within the box from being affected by frost or cold. The oil, in addition, acts to lubricate the wearing-points, and. by lessening friction increases the durability of the parts.

It will be seen that I have described. my invention as applied to a right-hand track of a double-track road. On the return on the left hand track means for operating the switches would not be necessary, as the switchpoint would be moved by the car-wheels. It will also be seen that my construction can be applied to different characters of switches by s ight modifications. The switch-operating shafts E E may be used without the shafts E E or they may be combined with them in a single-switch mechanism. It will further be noticed that all of the parts except the projecting ends of the shafts E E E and .their turning-blocks are within the box C and are thereby preserved from the effects of the weather.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an automatic switch, the combination with a pivoted switch-point having an arm connected therewith for turning said switchpoint, a bar for each of the joining tracks, extending longitudinally of the same, each bar being pivotally connected with said arm, vertically-disposed shafts and cams for operating said bars, each of said shafts being provided above the surface of the ground "with a turning-block adapted to be engaged by anapproaching car, substantially as described. f1".

2. In an automatic switch, the combination with a pivoted switch-point, having an arm connected therewith to turn the same, means for turning the said point including parts beneath the ground and parts above the ground, a watertight box beneath the ground inclosing the said arm of the switchpoint and all other parts beneath the ground, and a stratum of oil within said box, substantially as described.

3. In an automatic switch, the combination with a pivoted switch-point having an arm connected with said point to turn the same, sliding bars connected with. said arm provided with slots, vertical shafts extending through said slots and provided with arms or cams, said bars being provided with blocks to engage said cams, said shafts above the ground being provided with means adapted to be engaged by an approaching car to turn said shafts, substantially as described.

4. In an automatic switch, the combination with a pivoted switch-point, of an arm connected therewith for turning the same, of sliding bars for operating said arm, a set of devices for operating the switch when one track is normally open and another set of devices for operating the switch when the other track is normally open, substantially as de scribed.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CLARENCE F. ADAMS.

Witnesses.

CLEMENT R. LIPPINCOTI WELLINGTON E. BARTO. 

